Camilla 'paralysed with fear' the day she married Charles

By Jessica Rapana| 3 years ago

Prince Charles and Camilla on their wedding day in 2005. Photo: Getty.

Camilla Parker-Bowles hid under the covers on the morning of her wedding to Prince Charles, struck down by illness and “almost paralysed by fear” over how the world would react to the impending nuptials.

The explosive book detailing Camilla's life has now revealed how in the week leading up to her wedding to Charles on April 8, 2005, Camilla had been suffering from sinusitis.

According to an extract published in the Daily Mail, Camilla’s friend Lucia Santa Cruz, who had introduced her to Charles 34 years earlier, brought her homemade chicken soup that morning, fearing she might not be well enough to walk down the aisle.

However, it was not just illness that left her unable to get out of bed that day.

“Early in the morning of her cold and blustery wedding day, Camilla was hiding under her covers — and no one could coax her to get up,” biographer Penny Junor explains.

“She still wasn't feeling well, but now it was nerves more than sinusitis that kept her under the duvet.”

Charles and Camilla at Royal Ascot this month. Photo: Getty.

It was only when her sister threatened to wear her outfit and “do it for [her]”, Camilla reluctantly surfaced.

“No one, least of all Camilla, knew what the reaction of the crowd at Windsor would be, what the media would say, or how the whole thing would go.

“Having once been widely reviled as an adulteress, she was almost paralysed with fear.”

Despite some boos as the royal car approached, most people were happy for the couple, Junor says, including their nearest and dearest.

From the moment the engagement was announced, William and Harry had been “'100 per cent' behind the couple” and were “wished them all the luck in the world”, Junor says.

As they day went on, Camilla began to relax, reassured by having her family and friends around her and touched by the Queen’s telling words.

Previous extracts from The Duchess: The Untold Story have shed light on the strained relationship between the duchess and the Queen, who wanted her out of her son’s life.

But now Junor has been revealed how the Queen’s “perfect” speech at the wedding ceremony “laid to rest any lingering notion that she might still disapprove”.

“The Queen is passionate about horse racing and the date coincided with the Grand National, in which she had a horse running.

“She began by saying she had two important announcements to make. The first was that Hedgehunter had won the race at Aintree; the second was that, at Windsor, she was delighted to be welcoming her son and his bride to the 'winners' enclosure.

“'They have overcome Becher's Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles.

“They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves’.”

The couple married in a civil ceremony at the Guildhall followed by a church blessing at St George’s Chapel and a reception at Windsor Castle.

As the couple approached the chapel for their blessing, bother reportedly sobbed, knowing finally they could be together after being so in love for more than 30 years.